Little One
by SweetTale4u
Summary: "Always ,little one." For all the moms, this one is for you.


"I want to look like a boy mummy."

"You do look like a boy Severus; you are the most handsome boy in the whole of this world. Why would you say that you don't look like a boy?"

"My hair is long like yours mummy. And you're a girl."

Eileen continued to run the comb through her little one's hair. The ebony silk strands shone like a rare onyx stone and she could not be prouder of her little one.

Severus scowled as he looked at his reflection. She knew he was being teased but she could not bear to cut his beautiful hair. Every day she would wash and comb it before taking him to the local parish school.

"You have lovely hair Severus, mummy loves it. It gives you character."

"I know mummy, but the boys in class make fun of me. They chase me with the scissors."

"I will be sure to speak to your teacher. Would you like that?"

His eyes opened up wide and he smiled. "Yes mummy, I would."

%%

A few days later as Eileen stood by the window looking out for Severus. Every day she would stand by the kitchen window and watch as he turned down the road towards their house at Spinner's End.

Today it was different. Instead of his normal gait, he was running, his hands covering his face and head as he barreled towards the house. Behind him were two bigger boys, one waving what looked to Eileen like a knife.

Tobias was at work so Eileen grabbed her wand and ran out the door.

Regardless of who might see her she apparated in front of Severus, sweeping him up in her arms shielding him from the oncoming boys.

Turning back towards the house, she apparated them into the kitchen. Severus was shaking in her arms and clung to her as he had as a toddler.

"That's alright little one, it's okay sweetheart, you're safe now. No one is ever going to hurt you as long as I'm alive."

"M-m-mummy…" he cried between large gulps of air, his face nestled in her bosom, his arms holding onto her as if to keep from drowning.

She waited until his breathing calmed down a bit and moved him to a chair at the dining room table. As she sat him down, she could see the strands of his beautiful ebony hair fall from his small pale hands.

"Oh no little one," she covered her mouth to keep her sobs from escaping. Someone had cut her little one's hair. They hadn't just cut it; they had brutally chopped it off. In some places she could even see dried blood from where they had pulled it out.

"I'm s-s-sorry m-m-mummy."

Shaking her head she cradled his sweet face in her hands and kissed his forehead. She looked deeply in his eyes as fat tears fell staining his cheeks.

"You listen to me little one. This isn't your fault."

"D-d-do you still love me mummy?" His voice was racked with sobs.

Eileen's eyes opened wide at the question.

"Of course I love you little one, why wouldn't I?"

"B-b-because, my hair doesn't look like yours anymore," he sobbed again loudly, his head in his hands.

Eileen's chest ached as she felt her heart break at her son's pain. She bent down and picked him up and held him close to her. She couldn't keep the tears from coming and she cried with him. She cooed and told him how much she loved him and that no matter what, she always would.

"My little one, of course I love you. I love every single thing about you, not just your hair."

"But…it's not the way you like it."

"Oh honey, I would love you even if you didn't have a strand of hair left on that little head. It is you Severus that I love, your soul, not just your hair. I love your heart, your nose, your beautiful eyes, your hands, your little feet, every freckle, and every birthmark, all of you little one. As long as I live, no one will ever hurt you again."

His crying soon calmed down and he sat quietly as Eileen trimmed his hair, evening it out with her wand. She treated and kissed every little cut and cleaned his face and hands. By the time she was done, Severus looked like he was going to fall over asleep. Putting him to bed she waited until Tobias came home and went out.

"Mummy, mummy…" Severus called out to her as he came in from school the next day. Putting down the biscuits she was taking out of the oven she turned to see her son leaning over breathless in the kitchen doorway.

"What is it little one?"

"Mummy, you're not going to believe it. Every boy in my class had no hair today, except me! And the girls, all their hair was short, some even shorter than mine!"

"Really?" Eileen tried to keep the surprise in her voice.

"Yes mummy, everyone was so busy trying to figure out what happened, they didn't even notice my hair was cut."

"Well look at that, I told you not to worry about it. Would you like some biscuits and milk?"

"Yes mummy! Thank you mummy, I love you."

"I love you more, little one."

%%

With his head hung low, long strands of Severus' hair fell like curtains on either side of his face, shielding his eyes from the chaos of the world around him. His once beautiful ebony locks were useless against the pain and chaos from within. The rain pelted against his thin frame and soaked his black robes. His shoulders shook as the sobs of deep agony were muffled by the sound of thunder and the tears hidden by the rain.

"It was raining mummy when we put you here. I thought you would like the view." Severus lifted his head slightly to look down from the foot old oak tree at the top of the hill where he stood. With his hands fisted at his sides he looked down again as more tears flooded his eyes.

"Mummy I am so scared. So many people want to hurt me, but I am good mummy. I have always been a good boy. It's just nobody knows. I might not come by for a few days mum; I have something important to do. I have to stop a bad man, like you stopped daddy and those boys at the school."

Severus choked on his words as he doubled over slightly; struggling with a pain so deep he feared he wouldn't survive to see his mission through to the end.

He was so alone.

"I think I'll see you soon mummy. I have missed you so much."

%%

Eileen watched as the three children ran from the shack. She ran and knelt reaching her hands out to cradle the beautiful face of her little one, only to have her fingers pass through his unmoving face. She didn't know she could feel such pain.

"_Mummy?"_

Turning around she saw the spirit of her little one running into her arms. She caught him and held him close to her. "Mummy's here little one."

"I've missed you so much mummy."

"Mummy has missed you too little one,"

"I'm so tired mummy."

"I know little one, it's all okay now. Mummy is very proud of you."

"I love you mummy,"

"And I love you little one, always."


End file.
